Customer Reviews

Dark Lady: Winston Churchill's Mother and Her World

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This book appears to have been written in haste and not edited. It contains so many glaring factual errors, such as identifying Queen Alexandra's sister as the Duchess of Tech (definitely not, her sister was the Empress of Russia) that I came to doubt the rest of the book. At one point he seems to indicate that Catholics do not eat during Lent (that would be an extraordinary accomplishment). There is, literally, an error on every page, many of which could have been avoided by very simple and basic editing. Very annoying. I couldn't finish it.

a book of gossiping . written hastily. . if you want to know lady randolph go to ANITA LESLIE INSTEAD

This biography reads like a quickie rush to the market insant book written about some pop singer or two bit actress. In it, Jenny Jerome comes off as a truly horrible creature. How such a monster managed to attract so many men seems impossible. Plus, the bit about Catholics apparently not eating during Lent (it's 40 days long) made me laugh and this is not a comedy.

While this biography deals with a fascinating (and, from all we can tell from the record, bewitching) woman, the author barely does her justice. The book seems cramped and telegraphic in approach--it presumes the reader may know more about people and events than he or she really does. There are far better books (including the two-volume Ralph Martin biography published in 1969 and 1971 and readily available) to better understand "Jennie" and the swath she cut through late Victorian and early 20th century society. That she was the mother of Sir Winston Churchill was merely icing on the cake--she had plenty going for her on her own.

Then this is the book for you. So much great material that can be covered and yet author decides to dwell on uselss minutia. He does touch on some interesting points, but then veers off leaving you wanting more to go into - well, nothing really. No insight or depth to his presentation on the life of Jennie Churchill, but a lot of "pooh poohing" of other biograhpers' thoughts/opinions/"facts"/etc. without any real substantative proof for the naysaying.
If you are looking for a "topline summary" of an interesting life, please read this book.
If you are looking for an introspective biography of an interesting and fascinating personality, don't read this.
If you're still interested, but afraid to commit, please check your local library.

Rich in detail. Remarkable insight into a complex character in a remarkably important family, in Victorian and Edwardian Britain.
Politics,Monarchy and Aristocracy interwoven with sex and scandal.
A great read for anyone interested in the Churchills.

Lots of speculative information about a very important English personality. Having read most of her son, Winstons' work, this book does not deserve to be on the same bookshelf.